The Lost Isle
by 10forever
Summary: Pirate!AU. The Dread Pirate Doctor and his crew try to investigate a strange ship that attacks for no reason, but the answers will bring up things the Doctor left behind in his past. Rose/Doctor, Master/Doctor, Master/Lucy, other canon pairings
1. Information Acquired

**I had this posted before and I took it down, but I wanted to give this another shot. It's a pirate!AU, but I think it'll be a lot of fun. Everyone's involved! Don't worry, I'm working on my other fics but I've had a writers block because this fic has taken over my brain and I find the best way to remedy this is by writing it out. So here we go!!**

**Please Read and Review!**

The tavern was filled with people, drinking, laughing, and flirting with prostitutes. Usual activity for a place of this reputation at this time of night, and an unsavory place for anyone who didn't know their way around the world. Luckily for Rose Tyler, she was surrounded by people who not only knew their way around the world, but ordered it around.

"Jack's getting lucky," Donna mused, watching as the captain won yet another game of dice. Ianto, his first mate, sat next to him, give warning glances to whatever girl thought she'd earn her nightly pay off the increasingly wealthy man.

"And he's certainly not cheating," the Doctor replied, catching the tiny flick of the wrist that sent one pair of dice up his sleeve as another came tumbling out on the other arm.

"Like Harkness could win by playing fair," Mickey snorted into his glass, glancing longingly at one of the few girls in the room that wasn't to be bought. Unfortunately the Doctor had very strict rules about such liaisons, and he'd have to spend a week on Jack's ship doing manual labor before his own captain would even consider allowing him back onboard the _Tardis_.

"Have you met your contact yet?" Owen asked, signaling for his own girl to wait a few more minutes. While the Doctor didn't allow that sort of thing with his crew, Owen didn't sail with him. He sailed on the _Torchwood_, where Jack's only rules were to follow his orders and not to shoot him, and the latter one had an annoying habit of being disregarded.

"Go ahead, you horny git," Donna said, rolling her eyes. She was the Doctor's first mate, although she never needed her position to get her orders followed. Donna didn't need to use the Doctor's wrath as a motivation, her own was more than enough.

"He is taking a long time," Rose said as the _Torchwood_'s doctor left the table, a dark slender girl with a dress falling off her shoulder on his arm.

"She," Martha corrected, resting her head on Tom's shoulder. "We're meeting with an old friend."

"The Professor?" Mickey asked. "Bad idea, mate. She always has other motives."

"She also has information," the Doctor said. "And I want to know who is attacking ships in the Caribbean."

"The one that burns ships with captives still on them?" Rose asked, shivering when the Doctor nodded. "I thought that ended when I was a little girl."

"It did." Donna replied. "But they've started up again."

"Power vacuum. Ever since the…" Mickey trailed off as the Doctor's look turned to him, eyes sharpening. "…battle, I mean. We'll stop them."

"Fifteen years," Donna sighed into her mug. "Feels like forever ago. I was still on the family estate."

"Oh yes, how could England forget Donna Noble?" a new voice said as an older woman approached their table, pulling out her pistol and her shiv and placing them on the table in front of the Doctor. "The noble Lady who ran away to become one of the Doctor's men."

"The world needs the Doctor's men more than it needs another person in the aristocracy," Donna replied with a shrug.

"Hmm," the woman replied, lips twisting in amusement before she turned to the Doctor. "The Dread Pirate Doctor, what a pleasure."

"Docherty," the Doctor replied, with a nod. "Good to see."

"Yes, I'm sure." She took the chair Mickey offered her, glancing at Rose as she sat. "I see you have another crew member."

"Doesn't matter, does it?" the Doctor asked, taking a small sip of the wine in front of him. It was small partly because he wasn't one to consume alcohol, and partly because while it was the best liquid in the limited collection it wasn't anything appetizing.

"No, only my payment." The woman held out her hand expectantly.

"You get paid after you tell us what we need to know," Donna said, pulling a small leather pouch out of her shirt, wrapping the drawstrings around her wrist.

"What is it you want?" Docherty asked, leaning back in her chair. "I don't have all night and I do have a family to get back to."

"Who is plundering ships in the Caribbean?" the Doctor asked smoothly, ignoring the woman's impatience.

"You want to know that?" Docherty asked, her eyes flickering with fear, a rare thing for a creature such as herself. "I don't know."

"You bloody hell do know, and you're going to tell us!" Donna exclaimed, slamming her fists down on the table. "We didn't endure all night in this rut for you to play a game!"

"Donna…" the Doctor murmured warningly as Docherty shook her head.

"I am not. I'm more afraid of him than I am of you. I know your code Doctor, and I haven't done anything wrong."

The Doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out another purse and tossed it at her. She hesitantly peered inside it, gasping to see that every coin was gold. "Does that buy you some confidence?"

"I…" she trailed off, her eyes flicking down at the bag again. "I can't tell you. But I can give you coordinates."

"That's it?" Donna scoffed. "Great help you are."

"And a warning," Docherty said. "What ever you do, don't engage in outright battle."

"We're very good at what we do," Martha finally said, breaking her silence.

"He's better. No one wins against that ship, or its crew."

"What's the ship?" Tom asked, curious.

"The _Toclafane._"

The Doctor sat upright, face draining of color. "What?"

"I've said too much," Docherty said quickly, grabbing her weapons and payment off the table. "If he ever catches you, Doctor, we've never met."

"Is it him? The… _him_?" The Doctor asked quietly.

Docherty hesitated. "I won't say. I can't say, and that says enough."

"We've never met," the Doctor finally said and the woman all but ran from their table, pushing through the crowd of drunks until she was through the door and into the night air.

"Who are you talking about?" Donna finally asked, breaking the silence that reigned over the table.

"No one," the Doctor replied before shaking his head again. "Can't be the same man."

"Doctor," Donna insisted, but the Doctor only stood up.

"I'm returning to the ship," he announced, pulling his coat on. "Be ready to sail by dawn."

"What-" Rose began, but the Doctor had already slipped across the room and out the door.

"I don't like this," Martha muttered. "He never acts like that."

"No," Donna admitted, her eyes tracing his path. "It's not a good thing."

"Have any of you heard of the _Toclafane_ before?" Rose asked nervously. None of them had, not even Tom, the boy who grew up in a pirate's port. "Then… how would he know the name?"

"He's not like us," Donna shrugged. "He was brought up to know the sea."

"Where?" No one looked Rose in the eye.

"Doesn't matter," Mickey finally said, finishing his drink.

"But-" Rose began but Martha shook her head.

"We're not telling you his story," she told the younger girl softly. "He will, eventually."

"Fine, don't tell me." Rose leaned forward, frowning. "But what does it mean if the Doctor's scared?"

"It means," Donna replied with a sigh, chugging the rest of her drink, "That we are in for one hell of a time."

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	2. An Enemy Revealed

The Doctor pulled them out of port the next morning, giving his orders to Donna before disappearing into his cabin. Donna, Martha, and Jack had exchanged concerned glances but didn't say anything as they carried out his orders. Soon the _Tardis_ was sailing gracefully out to sea, Jack following close behind in the _Torchwood_.

"He's not in a very good mood, is he?" Rose asked Martha as she helped the woman doctor clean up her little office. One of the younger lads had a bit of a cough and Martha had sent him on rest and notified Tom that he would be off his shift.

"He's worried. I am too, no one attacks ships like that unless they're doing it for fun." Martha replied. "They literally attack any ship they come across. There's no pattern. They steal all the money but they'll attack ships for no reason other than they can."

"But what's the _Toclafane? _How did the Doctor know that name?" Rose asked.

Martha shrugged. "He's grown up on the seas he knows more things than any of us do, Rose."

Rose shook her head and went to the galley to help Sally Sparrow cook lunch for the crew. She found the Doctor talking to her.

"Tonight, I'm afraid. Sorry for the short notice." The Doctor said, smiling apologetically.

"It's fine, captain. I can manage." Sally promised him before nodding at Rose. "Rose helps me an awful lot ever since she came on board."

"Good." the Doctor said with a small smile. Rose had only been on the ship for two weeks after the Doctor saved her own ship from some ruthless pirates. She often tried to forget everything that happened that night, but it was safe to say she would not be alive if it weren't for the Doctor and everyone onboard the _Tardis_.

"Doctor, can I talk to you for a minute?" Rose asked as Sally headed for the hold to get some supplies.

"What do you need?" The Doctor replied.

"You seem worried. What's going on? You know the person who's being active in the Caribbean, don't you?"

"Docherty told us it was the _Toclafane_. You were there, Rose." the Doctor said quickly.

"But you know the captain of the _Toclafane_, don't you?" Rose said. "Who is it?"

The Doctor didn't meet her eyes. "I'm having an officers meeting tonight to discuss this tonight. Sally's making the dinner. You've been helping everyone out all over the ship. I'm promoting you to an officer. Come tonight and all your questions will be answered."

"I doubt that." Rose replied but she curtsied anyway. "Very well, Doctor. I accept your invitation."

The Doctor bowed back. "Good." he said, the corners of his mouth twisting into a smile. He left the galley and Rose set about to wiping down the spaces. She wasn't quite sure how the Doctor managed to have a working stove on a ship, but she was used to the _TARDIS_ being full of surprises. She had her own room as did all of the other officers. The other sailors shared smaller rooms, but there didn't seem to be enough room if you looked at the _TARDIS_ from the outside. It was truly like she was bigger on the inside.

"Ready to create a brilliant feast?" Sally asked when she returned. Rose quickly tied on an apron and rolled up her sleeves, ready to work.

-----

Docherty opened the door to her home, the money the Doctor had given her already divided between her son and daughter. She had to give it to them before her husband found it and tried to single-handedly keep the local taverns financially afloat.

"You're not really a professor, are you Docherty?" a smooth voice asked when she had shut the door behind her. "Women aren't allowed in any academic halls."

"Who are you?" Docherty shouted, quickly lighting a candle before gasping as she saw the two people standing in front of her. The man was sitting in the chair, dressed in rich, black clothing. A sword glinted from beside him while a gun lay heavily on the other side. The woman was in a bright red dress, her bust tightly laced and her blonde hair cascade down her shoulders in ringlets.

"She got the nickname by knowing everything." the woman replied, leaning forward. "She knew about us, didn't she?"

"And she told about us, Lucy!" the man replied, shaking his head. "Someone came asking questions about me and you told him, didn't you?"

"I've never-" Docherty began but the man simply smiled and backhanded her, sending her sprawling to the floor. He bent over and dragged her up by the front of her dress before throwing her into a chair.

"I didn't say you could talk. Naughty woman." the man said, shaking his head. "You haven't earned the right to speak without permission. You have to earn it like Lucy here. Good little girl, aren't you, Lucy?"

"That's not what you said last night." Lucy replied with a dirty smile on her blood red lips as she held began tying Docherty up with a bit of rope.

"Oh, but last night was _very_ good for us. And it was profitable for you, wasn't it, professor?" the man asked, smiling widely when the woman didn't reply. "Ah, you're learning! Good. I do hate to repeat myself."

"You hate to repeat yourself verbally." Lucy said as she light another candle, casting light across the table before she turned to the fireplace and began to light it. Docherty's eyes widened as she saw the knives, scissors, and branding tools that lay across it. "There are other things he likes to do quite often. Over and over. Torture is one of those things, of course."

"But let it never be said that I am a reasonable man." He continued. "If you tell me what I want to know, then I won't indulge in other, admittedly entertaining activities. Understand?"

Docherty's eyes widened and she nodded.

"Good." The man grinned and leaned forward. "Now, tell me exactly what you told the Doctor."

"I just told him that the _Toclafane _was responsible for the attacks in the Caribbean." Docherty gasped. "I didn't tell him that you were the captain."

"And he paid you for that?" Lucy asked. "That's all he wanted?"

"He'll have guessed who I am." The man replied, looking thoughtful. "Things might have just gotten more fun."

"Is he a threat?" Lucy asked, her eyes eerily wide in the candlelight.

"He's only dangerous until I've captured him." The man assured her before turning back to Docherty, who flinched under his gaze. "Tell me who's on his crew?"

"Donna Noble, Tom Mulligan, Martha Jones, Sally Sparrow." Docherty listed. "He seems to be giving orders to Captain Jack Harkness and the _Torchwood_. He also has a new passenger, Rose Tyler."

"She's a passenger?" the man asked. "Her father owns a large shipping company, correct?"

When Docherty nodded the man looked gleeful.

"What are you planning?" Lucy asked.

"I think we can get two ransoms for the price of one with that little girl." the man replied before turning back to Docherty. "We're going to leave now. But if the Doctor gets any warning at all I you will wish that I had killed you tonight. Understand?"

Docherty nodded quickly and the man turned to Lucy. "Be a darling and take off a finger while I attend to some business."

"A finger? But I told you everything you wanted!" Docherty burst out. The man shook his head woefully.

"You still told others about me, I can't let something like that go unpunished. And I was going to let you choose which finger, but you just went and spoke without permission." He turned to his wife and smiled. "Pick whichever _two_ you like, dear."

"Oh, thank you." Lucy replied, leaning over to kiss him. "You're such a good Master."

"Have fun!" the Master called over his shoulder once he pulled away and turned to leave, closing the door on Docherty's terrified sobs.

**A/N: I bet the big reveal surprised no one, hee! I love Lucy and the Master so much, they're so delightfully twisted! Please Review!**


	3. Quiet Reflection

**A/N: Hi everyone! I am making one quick change to the timeline of this fic- Rose has now traveled on the **_**Tardis**_** for almost four months, not two weeks. Just keep that in mind!**

* * *

It wasn't long before all the officers were crowded around the table in the Captain's Quarters and Rose and Sally handed out the last of the plates. The Doctor was sat at the head of the table, ignoring his food, and spent most of the meal staring moodily out into space. Rose was worried, but aside from a few curious glances the rest of the crew seemed to ignore him.

"He does that a lot," Sally finally whispered into Rose's ear. "Just be patient, he'll tell us what's on his mind eventually." Finally, after the plates had been cleared away and everyone was merely making conversation the Doctor abruptly stood up and placed his hands on the table.

"I have some very bad news," he said, leaning forward slightly. "I know who's been attacking ships."

"Going to share with the rest of us?" Donna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"There's one thing I want to make abundantly clear," the Doctor continued, ignoring her. "When we find him, you are not to kill him. I am ordering all of you to merely subdue him until I can deal with him."

"What?" Mickey asked. "Why does he get special treatment? If he's been burning ships alive do you really think he's going to hesitate skewering any of us?"

"He's like me," the Doctor said quietly. "We spent our childhood together."

"He's from the Lost Isle?" Martha asked. "He's..."

"Yes. His name is the Master."

"I thought you were the last one," Donna finally said, fixing her captain with a speculating look.

The Doctor swallowed and looked away. "So did I."

"So we find him," Jack continued. "Then what?"

"I don't know," the Doctor confessed. "Right now, I just want to find him. It may take years- the Master is just as clever as I am."

"Stop flattering yourself, or the ship will sink under your huge head," Donna snapped, but Rose could see in her eyes she was concerned.

The Doctor gave her a tiny smile before waving a hand at the rest of the crew. "From now on, we need to be triple checking every ship we come across. When we land at port, gather all the murmurs you can. Understand?" After a chorus of "Yes sir!"'s the Doctor dismissed them, slowly returning the extra chairs to their usual places before sitting heavily in the captain's chair. Rose hesitated in the doorway before turning back to him.

"Are you the last of your family?" she asked, fluttering uneasily behind him.

"Yes," he replied after a moment's pause, still not looking at her.

"More than that?" Rose guessed.

The Doctor sighed. "Yes, Rose. Much more than that. I'm not quite human." Finally he turned and looked at her, his eyes seemingly lined and weary. "I'm from the Isle of Gallifrey, were my people were a part of the ocean. Even now I can control tiny bits, it's just..." He frowned, seeing things from long ago. "I wish I was human, sometimes. Than I wouldn't be the last."

"But you're not the last," Rose said, slowly kneeling beside his chair when he wouldn't look at her. "Your Mr. Master is alive."

The Doctor chuckled humorously. "The Master isn't a good man, Rose. He's dangerous, far to dangerous for a girl like you to remain here while we chase him."

"Oh no you don't," Rose protested, her eyes narrowing. "I chose to stay here on this ship, with you. I'm not going anywhere."

"Yes you did," the Doctor finally agreed, looking at her. He smiled warmly, but weakly, slowly holding out two long fingers to trace her cheek. "Why do you stay?"

"For you," Rose answered honestly, hurriedly continuing when she saw the cautious, wary look on his face. "And the adventure, the friends. Much more than I'd ever find sitting at home at the Tyler estate, letting my Mum and Dad find suitors for me."

"You should have suitors, at your age," the Doctor said, even though his eyes hinted he did not like such an idea very much.

"I don't want them. Certainly not yet," Rose said. "What I want is to travel on the _Tardis_ forever."

"Forever's a long time with me, Rose."

"Good." Rose dared to reach up and curl her own fingers around the Doctor's hand. He stared at their hands for a moment before slowly entwining their fingers.

"Rose Tyler, what am I going to do with you?" he said after a moment. Rose could only smile up at him before leaning her head against the arm of his chair. After another long minute his free hand came to rest upon her head, ideally stroking what hair had escaped her, admittedly childish but very effective, braid. They sat there, like that, for a long time.

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**Please R&R!**


	4. London Calling

The next day the Doctor announced they were headed towards London, something Rose was not completely keen on.

"You're going to make me visit Mum, aren't you?" Rose asked, crossing her arms as she slumped in her chair. It wasn't pouting, it was just... showing displeasure.

"I did promise her that I would bring you back to visit," the Doctor replied, hiding his smile as he plotted their course across sea maps for Mickey to follow. "I have a friend in London who'll know about the Master."

"Will she tell you, or will she be terrified like Docherty?" Rose asked, intrigued. The Doctor always had interesting friends.

"This friend is intimidated by anyone, and even the Master wouldn't go after her," the Doctor explained, looking up. "She's... a bit like us. She's human, but she grew up on Gallifrey."

"What was Gallifrey like?" Rose asked.

The Doctor's eyes clouded over as his mind's eye gazed into the past. "Beautiful. The trees looked like silver, and when the sun set, the entire island was bathed in yellow light. You'd swear the grass was red, and the sky and the ocean seemed to stretch forever around us."

"Sounds wonderful," Rose agreed, drawing a melancholy smile from the Doctor.

"Yeah," he agreed. "It was."

* * *

Jackie Tyler walked into her sitting room and nearly dropped her newest ivory fan. She and Pete had just returned from the tailor's, and here was the Doctor sprawled across her couch with his feet propped up on her table.

"It's you," she said, glaring at him fiercely.

"It's me," the Doctor agreed before grinning idiotically at her. "Hello, Jackie."

"That's Jacquelyn to you. I don't suppose my daughter is lurking around here somewhere?"

"Right here, Mum," Rose sighed from behind the door. Jackie quickly had her daughter in a warm hug, a true smile on her face.

"I'm so glad you're safe, Rose. You do look fine... you finally have some color in your cheeks. And you're not dressing like an urchin, thank you," Jackie replied, looking over her daughter's dress.

"I'd like to dress like the crew, but somehow only my own dresses will stay in my closet," Rose said, turning to give the Doctor a glare on her own. "I've hidden pants before and they still go missing."

"Are you going around my daughter's room!"

"I'm a Captain. I have better things to do than search Rose's room for trousers," the Doctor replied. "But the _Tardis _does have a mind of her own."

"But are you staying safe Rose?" Jackie asked.

"Yes, Mum," Rose said, quickly glancing at the Doctor, trying to communicate through her look that he was not to mention the Master business under any circumstances. "We haven't had any bad skirmishes in two months and I am always safely below deck. Most of the time I don't even know the fight's begun."

"I should keep you here," Jackie said. "I should look you in your room and have him booted out the door."

"That wouldn't stop us," Rose laughed. The Doctor winked and shot one of his sideways grins at her.

"I know," Jackie said with a sigh. Sit down, Rose, and you, get your feet of my table. I'll ring the maid and get us a bit of tea."

"I love tea," the Doctor said, and Rose found herself grinning just a bit wider.

* * *

"Now that that's done," Rose said as the Doctor escorted her away from the Tyler estate and towards the center of London, "Who are we here to meet?"

"An old friend," the Doctor explained, helping her into the carriage they had bought for the day. "Donna should be meeting us there."

"But who is she?" Rose asked. "You haven't told me anything about her."

"Her name's River Song," the Doctor replied. "As I said, she grew up on Gallifrey."

"But she's not... Gallifreyan?" Rose asked.

"No, just as human as you. Of course, she and I are old friends and she can hold her own with the Master... she's not what you would consider normal."

"I'm sure I'll like her," Rose said as the carriage pulled to the side of the road and stopped. The Doctor helped Rose out of the carriage once more and they stepped up to a non descript building. The Doctor knocked on the door four times and it opened, and the Doctor led Rose inside.

Unlike the plain exterior of the building, inside was one of the most lavish things Rose had ever seen. Everything was mahogany wood and red velvet, and every candle stick was gold. Huge bouquets of flowers were spread across the room, and the tablecloths and curtains appeared to be made out of silk. But what made Rose blush and look away were the women that lounged at tables and across loveseats. There clothes were barely modest, all flimsy black and red lace and silk. They showed far too much skin, and some were sitting in men's laps before leading them up stars, the top of which were hidden by a heavy velvet curtain.

"Is this a...?" Rose whispered to the Doctor, trying hard to find something innocent to look at.

"Yes, but no, I never do that kind of business here," the Doctor replied. "You know my rules." He turned to the man standing next to the door who was giving them curious looks. "Is Lady Song here?"

"I'm right here, sweetie," a voice said from behind them. Rose turned and saw a woman standing up from a small card table, neatly grabbing a bag of cash and leaving several suddenly broke men behind her. Rose was relieved to see that her dress covered much more skin than the other women, if not as modest as Rose's own. She had rich, tan skin and dark curls that were pinned to the top of her head. Her lips were dark red and her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Lady Song," the Doctor said, bowing slightly. "How's business?"

"Lusty as usual," River said with a wink before seeing Rose. "And you have someone on your arm today. How do you always manage to find the pretty ones?"

"River Song, meet Rose Tyler," the Doctor said, smiling slightly as Rose blushed once more as River studied her.

"Nice to meet you, Rose," River said before looking back at the Doctor. "I assume you're here to talk, unless you've decided to finally take me up on my offer?"

"Talking, River," the Doctor replied easily. "In private."

"All business and no pleasure," River said, sliding her arm around the Doctor's other elbow. "It's so horrible for me to endure, especially when my business is pleasure."

"Your business is making trouble," the Doctor corrected as River led them up the stairs and past the heavy curtains into her office. "You only run this place because it's against the law."

"Better to have the girls here than on the streets where anything can happen," River replied. "I only have gentlemen here. It's a miracle you weren't thrown out on the spot."

Rose tried to hide a frown as the Doctor and River continued flirting in such a familiar way. Maybe she wasn't going to love River Song after all. How could she ever respect a woman who ran a place like this?

"Now," River said once they had settled in with their tea and were comfortable in their seats, "What are you here to talk to me about?"

The easy air the Doctor had froze as soon as River spoke, and his eyes hardened seriously. "I need to know," he said, continuing when River frowned and nodded at him, "What you know about the Master."

"The Master?" River's eyebrows rose. "That's... odd. Why do you want to know?"

"Why?" the Doctor demanded, before staring at her intently. "Why is that odd?"

"Why do you want to know about him?" River said, staring back. Rose glanced between the two of them- it was like they were having a silent conversation.

"Because," the Doctor finally said. "I want to see him."

"Ah," River said, nodding. "Now you've asked the right thing."

"Why?"

River reached into her desk and handed the Doctor a key. "The Valiant Suite."

The Doctor's eyes widened and he quickly took the key. "How long?"

River shrugged. "He's been waiting for an hour."

The Doctor's lips thinned into a hard line. "I have to catch him before he leaves."

"Doctor," Rose asked, beginning to stand up, "Are we-"

"No." The Doctor turned to look at her, one hand on the door. "You are not coming with me."

"But-" Rose started, but the Doctor was already out the door.

* * *

**A/N: Oh my! Was the Master already there... enjoying River's little establishment? Or was he expecting the Doctor to turn up? And poor Rose, she doesn't understand why the Doctor is leaving her there (or why he's just trying to protect her) It's a good thing though, because I don't think the Master will react well to Rose, do you?**

**Please REVIEW! I'd like to know what you all think. **


	5. Uncivil Conversation

**A/N: Hi everyone! It's been too hot to do anything so I decided to write, lol. Hope you enjoy this. Warning: slashy moment ahead.**

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The Doctor hesitated only a moment in front of the Valiant suite before he turned the key in the lock. He swung the door open and strode inside, shutting it firmly behind him.

The Master didn't turn around from his place at the window. He merely gestured to the side table beside the bed, where an open wine bottle and a goblet were sitting. The Doctor crossed the room, silently, picked up the wine, and stood beside the Master at the window.

"This is the only decent view in this entire building," the Master said, taking a slow sip from his glass. "And she gave it to me for free, no questions asked."

"She doesn't ask us questions," the Doctor replied.

"No, she demands answers."

"We all do," the Doctor said. "We've seen too much, been though enough that we don't have patience for things pointless."

"Reminiscing now?" the Master glanced at him. "You only do that when you want something."

"I don't want anything," the Doctor hissed.

"Then why did you come find me?"

"To stop the attacks. A ship has been terrorizing the seas, killing all victims before fading back into the mist."

"The captain must be some sort of sorcerer," the Master said. "A dark, handsome, slightly mad but utterly dashing man."

"So you know him."

The Master smirked. "I'm talking to him."

"This is your only warning, Master," the Doctor said, putting down his goblet and finally facing the Master. "Stop. Now."

"Why? Before you fight me and Rose Tyler finds out who you really are?" The Master laughed as the Doctor's eyes briefly shone with surprise. He tried to cover it, but the Doctor couldn't hide any more from the Master than the Master could hide from the Doctor. "Oh yes, I know who she is. I just don't know if you're bringing her along to purposely corrupt her or if you've rationalized her presence yet."

"Don't bring Rose into this," the Doctor hissed. "Never."

"Replaced me already?" the Master snapped. "I only died, it was silly of me to think you'd actually honor any of your promises."

The Doctor had the decency to flinch. "We were children."

"Children's promises are more powerful than anything that comes from an adult."

"Our childhoods are far behind us. Anything we stood for then have long sense decayed."

The Master frowned, but stepped closer. "The passing years have made you morose. But don't you remember those days? They aren't gone forever, not for us. Don't you want to stay, Doctor? Stay here and heal me?"

"Heal you?" the Doctor asked, staring at the Master intently. Heal him from what?

The Master stepped forward and gently took the Doctor's face in his hand. The touches were tender, the kiss was gentle, but the Doctor could feel the fire and the ice of the Master's raging mind, dancing just behind a spotty disguise.

"No," the Doctor whispered into the Master's mouth and pushed him away. "I'm sorry."

"One last time?" the Master asked, pushing the Doctor backwards on to the bed and towering over him. "Please?"

"No."

The Master's face broke into a wolfish grin. "If you insist."

Before the Doctor could blink the Master had secured his wrist to the bedpost with a pair of shackled and was dancing towards the door.

"Now did you leave Rose Tyler in River's care, or did you leave her downstairs to trade beauty secrets? Nevermind, I'll find her!" the Master called over his shoulder as he left, gleefully laughing as he closed the door behind him.

"No!" the Doctor shouted, tugging on the shackle. He roared at the empty door, well aware the Master could hear him in the hallway. "You leave her alone!"

But if there was one thing the Master never did, it was listen to the Doctor.

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**END A/N: SO, I'm going to leave a little blurb prompted by a convo I had with a friend this chapter: If the Doctor likes (loves, hee) Rose so much, why is he kissing the Master? And why do you hint that it's so normal. And the answer is that I think that back on Gallifrey before everything went to shite and it was wee!Master and wee!Doctor, they were one of those little kid pairs who were always together, decided to get married at 4, and were doing it by 16. Of course then something pretty big happened and now they are who they are today. EoT really made me ship them, and I actually cried because I felt that those two were the most tragic story of all time. HOWEVER- this does not make neither the Doctor, nor the Master gay. They are Time Lords- not human. If the Doctor doesn't mind having fun with another species, why would the same gender bother him? The Doctor dances with whoever touches his heart in a certain way- human, non-human, man or woman. He loved the Master in the past, and he loves Rose now. He feels strongly about the Master and feels just as strongly, but differently, for Rose. The man is 900+ at last statement, and he was probably lying a little bit. You can love multiple people, he certainly has a big enough heart to, and if you lived over 1,000 you couldn't love only was person (Unless you're the newly named Mr. Pond, lol!) **


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